Tales from Facebook: The Middle School Girl Debate

My comment: I feel like this is an exaggeration - we were not innocent little popsicle eating angels 100% of the time....:P

A responding comment: “Neither were me or my daughters, however, we weren't into dressing provocatively or boys or anything else not age appropriate. We still played with toys and just hung out.”

Let me emphasize the part of this that I find most interesting:

“..we weren't into dressing provocatively or boys or anything else not age appropriate.”

This is where the convo ended on Facebook, because I don’t like social media drama. That is why it continues here.

*Looks up middle school, just to make sure we’re talking about the same thing*

Wikipedia: “A middle school (also known as intermediate school or junior high school) is a school for students older than elementary school, but not yet in high school. The ages covered varies between, and sometimes within, countries. It is from grade 6-10”

That’s what I thought.

Back to the matter at hand. I quite simply do not believe that last statement. “We weren’t into boys in junior high - oh heavens no! We were into toys and hanging out - with girls only! No ANYTHING age inappropriate.”

I think it’s time to let go of this notion that everything was right with “us” when we were “their age”. For god’s sake stop lying. Junior high was when we started being “into” boys. That’s why they put us through sex ed through those specific years. Honestly, I’m having a hard time knowing how to respond to the assertion that we weren't into anything age inappropriate. There is simply no way that’s true. Kids love age-inappropriate things because they are just that. If anything, we got more interested in such things during Junior High. Again, hence the timing of sex-ed classes.

None of this is surprising, really. The “Why, when I was your age…” speech has been around forever. It’s like we get selective amnesia about these things as adults. Honestly, it wouldn't surprise me if the two pictures were taken within the same year. There is nothing in them to suggest a generation gap. The most significant difference I see is who is in possession of the camera. The first one was very likely take to please upper-generational sensibilities. The other one is being taken by one of the girls, and is more casual, less self-conscious….and honestly, not that provocative. The only body part show in that picture that’s not in the first is a girl’s shoulders.

Changed my mind - I'm responding.

“Honestly, the picture on the right isn't that provocative. The only body part show in that picture that’s not in the first is a girl’s shoulders. Their body language is more casual, and one’s taking a selfie-group shot, but they’re not actually being that provocative. “

I just sent that one. Let’s see where this goes. Feeling stressed already (that’s why I don’t get into these things that much). But I’ll just have to handle it.